Signal Fire
by numbers6x
Summary: It wasn't the reunion he was expecting; no bright smiles, no hugging, no tears of joy, no Sasuke-kun! Instead he caught a glimpse of her unconscious form, bloody and alarmingly lifeless-looking, being hauled into the emergency room. [Sasuke x Sakura]


It was 385 days since Uchiha Sasuke returned to Konoha before he finally saw her.

It wasn't the reunion he was expecting; no bright smiles, no hugging, no tears of joy, no _Sasuke-kun!_ Instead he caught a glimpse of her unconscious form, bloody and alarmingly lifeless-looking, being hauled into the emergency room while he was leaving the hospital after his post-mission checkup.

He faltered, completely unsure if he should follow the frantic medical staff to where they were taking her or if he should leave since hasn't he tried to kill her more than once? Does he even have the right?

Before he could decide, a blonde whirlwind whooshed on his side before skidding to a halt a few meters behind him.

"Sasuke!"

He glanced sideways, locking eyes with Yamanaka Ino to show her she has his attention.

"Do me a favor, will ya?" Ino said, her blue eyes wide with panic. "Get Naruto and Tsunade-sama here in the hospital. It's Sakura."

The fact that the blonde used her best friend's real name sent a cold chill down Sasuke's spine. Without bothering to reply, he quickly teleported away from the hospital, completely missing Ino's _thank you!_

* * *

Sasuke stared at the scenery from the window of the hospital while silently contemplating on the ways in he could kill Naruto for sounding like a battle horn. In the corner of his eye he could see Sakura – alive, not well, but alive – shift on her bed, a frown adorning her marred face. Tsunade had attended to her personally after he had come to her, his face showing alarm and concern even though he tried his best to hide it. One word from his mouth – _Sakura_, he remembers himself saying in an almost whisper, her name feeling foreign and familiar at the same time on his tongue – sent the Hokage racing to the hospital while he went to search for Naruto, who was with Kakashi at that time on the training grounds.

After uttering to them the same thing he said to the Hokage, the three of them teleported to the hospital lobby, where Naruto ambushed the nearest hospital personnel and asked him _where the hell is Sakura-chan?!_

With a shaky voice, the nurse told them that she's in the emergency room and is currently being tended by the Hokage herself. He asked them to wait at Room 7 on the ICU wing, because that's where Sakura will be kept after her emergency operation.

Naruto and Kakashi expressed their thanks with a nod before they all headed to the ICU wind, their feet suddenly heavy and their heart filled with trepidation.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke whirled his head to the source of the voice and came face-to-face with a conscious Haruno Sakura, her eyes reflecting confusion and fear.

_Fear._

"What…" Sakura started, her voice extremely raspy that Sasuke could barely make out what she was saying. "You… you're back? When—"

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

Sasuke allowed himself to release a very small sigh of relief. He was sure that Sakura was going to question him about his surprising return to their village, and Sasuke was not in the mood to answer them. Not when he just witnessed her lifeless form several hours ago. His observations were proven accurate when a very weary Tsunade marched out of the operating room and informed them that when Sakura was admitted in the hospital, she wasn't close to death, she _was_ dead.

He watched as Sakura carefully turned her head towards Naruto's voice, a small and genuine smile adorning her features.

"Hey," she said, her eyes reflecting happiness and so much trust that made Sasuke frown to himself bitterly.

Of course she trusts Naruto, he reprimanded himself. He never tried to call her on purpose. _Numerous times._

"I'm so happy you're okay, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said, pumping his fist like a child, causing Sakura to giggle. She abruptly stopped and winced, her hand automatically clasping her torso.

"Don't move too much," Kakashi suddenly spoke, his lone visible eye narrowing with concern. "You've broken at least four of your ribs according to Tsunade-sama."

"Hey! What happened, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, his eyes darkening and a frown appearing on his face. "Who did that to you, huh?"

"The mission's confidential, Naruto, you know I can't tell you," Sakura said while rolling her eyes, probably the only action she can do at this time without causing her pain. "Don't worry, the mission was a success. The person responsible is already twenty feet under, courtesy of yours truly."

"YEAH! THAT'S MY SAKURA-CHAN!"

The door suddenly slid open with a bang.

"Uzumaki! If you don't keep your voice down I swear I will crush your wind pipe!"

"Geez, 'baa-chan! So violent! Is it because you're menopausal?"

Sasuke smirked slightly, watching as Tsunade's eyes burned with hellfire before she slowly turned to the obnoxious blonde.

"_Out. NOW._"

"BAA-CHAAAAAN!" Naruto whined. "It was just a joke! C'mon—"

"Naruto," Kakashi interrupted. "We should go and let Sakura rest. We'll see you tomorrow, okay, Sakura?"

"Tomorrow," Sakura agreed, gently smiling as she watched Kakashi slap a hand on Naruto's mouth to keep him from protesting any further while dragging him away from the room.

Tsunade turned to Sakura, her eyes softening with motherly affection.

"Sakura," she started, her voice laced with emotion that Sasuke is having trouble identifying. "Hyuuga and Nara are fine, they're currently recovering in the ward."

At the mention of this, Sakura visibly relaxed, the tension in her body that Sasuke didn't notice quickly ebbing away. "Thank you, shishou," she replied.

Tsunade nodded, her eyes darting to him and a knowing smirk crossing her face.

Sasuke didn't like it.

"I shall take my leave," Tsunade said, still sporting that annoying smirk that Sasuke had half a mind to chidori it off her face. "Rest, Sakura."

She left, closing the sliding door with more finesse than she did when she opened it. Sasuke immediately felt awkward as he felt Sakura's eyes focus on him.

"Are you going to stay?"

Sasuke stared at her eyes, green, still full of confusion and fear, and he knew she wasn't just talking about him staying at the hospital with her.

"Aa."

He watched as the confusion and fear in her eyes melt away while a grin formed on her mouth, a grin that she could've only gotten from spending so much time with Naruto.

"Welcome home, Sasuke."

And for the first time in a long time, Sasuke began to hope.


End file.
